χαρακτήρ

A. engraver, Euryph. ap. Stob. 4.39.27; one who mints coins, IPE 1216 A 14 (Olbia, iii B. C.).

2. graving tool, Daimachus 4J. (pl.) ap.St.Byz. s.v. Λακεδαίμων.

3. die, stamp, IG 22.1013.64, 1408.11, 1424a120, 280, 1469.107; in a simile, Arist. GA 781a28.

4. branding-iron, Clara Rhodos 2.171 (ii B. C.).

II. mark engraved, impress, stamp on coins and seals, ἀργύρου λαμπρὸς χ. E. El. 559, cf. Pl. Plt. 289b, Arist. Pol. 1257a40; coin type, standard, ἦν δ’ ὁ ἀρχαῖος χ. δίδραχμον Id. Ath. 10.2, cf. OGI 339.45 (Sestos, ii B. C.), D.S. 17.66; Κότυος χ. Head Hist.Num. 2285 (Thrace, i B. C.): hence, in pl., = χάραγμα 1.2, PFlor. 61.21 (i A. D.): metaph., οἷς ἡ ἀρετὴ εὐδοξίας χαρακτῆρα τοῖς ἔργοις ἐπέβαλεν set a stamp upon them, Isoc. 1.8; Κύπριος (s. v. l.) χαρακτὴρ . . ἐν γυναικείοις τύποις εἰκὼς πέπληκται A. Supp. 282.

2. esp. of figures or letters, οἱ τῶν γραμμάτων χ. Plu. 2.214f; ὁ τύπος τῶν χ. ib.577f, cf. 1120f, D.S. 3.67; of the letters used by Hp. in Epid. 3.1, Zeno and Apollonius ap.Gal. 17(1).618, cf. 524sq.; of a single letter of the alphabet, Jul. Or. 2.72a; ξυλήφια βραχέα ἔχοντα χαρακτῆρα Plb. 6.35.7; brand on a camel, PGen. 29.8 (ii A. D.); of symbols in a prescription, Gal. 13.995; of magical symbols (such as the seven vowels), τῶν χ. ἡ ἀπόρρητος φύσις Jul. Or. 7.216c, cf. Iamb. Myst. 3.13, Sallust. 15; of hieroglyphs, opp. γράμματα, Luc. Herm. 44.

3. metaph., distinctive mark or token impressed (as it were) on a person or thing, by which it is known from others, characteristic, character, χ. γλώσσης, of a particular dialect, Hdt. 1.57,142; χ. αὑτὸς ἐν γλώσσῃ S. Fr. 176; χ. ἡμεδαπὸς τῶν ῥημάτων Ar. Pax 220; ὁ Ἑλληνικὸς χ. Greek idiom, D.H. Pomp. 3: freq. of persons, feature, ὁ χ. τοῦ προσώπου Hdt. 1.116; εἰληφέναι χαρακτῆρα ἑκατέρου τοῦ εἴδους Pl. Phdr. 263b; οἱ τῆς ὄψεως χ. D.S. 1.91; ἀνδρῶν οὐδεὶς χ. ἐμπέφυκε σώματι E. Med. 519; δεινὸς χ. κἀπίσημος . . ἐσθλῶν γενέσθαι Id. Hec. 379; φανερὸς χ. ἀρετᾶς Id. HF 659 (lyr.); ἠθικοὶ χ., title of work by Thphr.: pl., οἱ χ. the features of the face, J. AJ 13.12.1, cf. OGI 508.13 (Ephesus, ii A. D.); χ. μορφῆς ἐμῆς ib.383.60 (Nemrud Dagh, i B. C., sg.); [τοῦ ἐμβρύου] Sor. 1.33 (pl.): hence,

4. type or character (regarded as shared with others) of a thing or person, rarely of an individual nature, ἀνδρὸς χ. ἐκ λόγου γνωρίζεται Men. 72; χ. μοχθηρότατον παραπλάττεσθαι Phld. Rh. 1.6 S.; τὸν χ. τὸν Διογένους Arr. Epict. 3.22.80; τίνα ἔχει χ. τὰ δόγματα; ib.4.5.17; of nations, Plb. 18.34.7.

5. style, freq. in Rhet., ὁ Δημοσθένους χ. D.H. Dem. 9, cf. Pomp. 1, Cic. QF 2.15(16).5; χ. δικανικός Phld. Rh. 2.137S.; χ. optimi the ideal type, Cic. Orat. 11.36, cf.39.134; χ. ἰσχνός, μεγαλοπρεπής, γλαφυρός, δεινός Demetr. Eloc. 36, cf. D.H. Dem. 33; χ. λέξεως Id. Lys. 11; χ. Ἀσιανός Str. 13.1.66.

6. impress, image, τῆς ὑποστάσεως [τοῦ θεοῦ] Ep.Heb. 1.3; πάθους, ἀρετῆς, Longin. 22.1, Eun. Hist. p.243 D.: abs., οἱ Σεβάστειοι χ. the imperial seal, i.e. the emperor himself, IG 5(2).268.24 (Mantinea, i B. C.).

7. Gramm., typical form, A.D. Synt. 20.10, 103.23.